


Not as heartless

by Vicky



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode Tag, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-08
Updated: 2010-10-08
Packaged: 2017-10-12 12:43:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vicky/pseuds/Vicky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's not as heartless as they thought</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not as heartless

**Author's Note:**

> Muse is back at last and I'm back at writing Sparky fics! Many many thanks and hugs to my wonderful beta Jaclyn (written in 2006)

"Well, try not to kill each other while I'm gone," Caldwell said before walking away.

Just as he left the infirmary, Carson's hand on his arm stopped him. He turned towards the doctor, and raised an eyebrow in question, while Carson motioned him to his office. Once they were in there, he closed the door behind them and turned to the military man.

"Why did you talk about the kiss? I'm sure you're aware they want to forget it. I can't believe you mentioned it!"

"Doctor, believe me, they need to talk about it. Something as important as that can't stay in the background for too long. If they don't talk about it…"

"That could ruin their friendship," continued Carson, understanding what the colonel wanted to say.

"I know what they just went through. It wasn't different from my experience with this Goa'uld; the three of us weren't in control of our bodies during those ordeals. And whether they want it or not, they kissed. They'll have to talk about everything that Phoebus and Thalan did and this kiss was one of these things."

"We may know that, but I'm sure they'll still ignore this particular moment. Maybe now more than before," he added as an afterthought.

"At least, they may realize something else."

"What?" Carson exclaimed, surprised at what Caldwell insinuated.

"I'm not blind, doctor. I know they're close and if they didn't do a great job, and I'm serious there, I'd probably have already reported them."

"You know, colonel, I think you're not as heartless as I thought you were."

"Well, if I'm neither hopeless nor heartless, then I think I may be a good person."

"That you are, colonel, that you are," he said sincerely as Caldwell left the room.

A few moments later, he walked back into the infirmary, but stayed in a corner to not be spotted by the pair. John was still working on his tablet and Elizabeth seemed deep in thought. Carson knew that they would feel awkward around each other for some time and really hoped that they would talk. Caldwell was right; this whole ordeal could ruin their friendship if they didn't sort it out.

Deciding to make his presence known at last, the doctor stepped closer to the leaders' beds. Both of them turned their heads towards him and Carson could see Elizabeth's confused look; he knew he had to reassure her.

"Look, Elizabeth. Whatever Phoebus did was her fault, not yours. You didn't want for all these things to happen, right?"

"Maybe…," she answered, risking a glance towards John.

The good doctor immediately understood that maybe she didn't regret everything that happened. He sighed, provoking a frown from John.

"You ok, Beckett?"

"Aye," he answered hastily. "Sorry, I was thinking about something else."

"So, when will you let us go?"

"Son, your minds were taken over by two other people, and even if I'm sure that they left, I still want to keep you here for the night."

"May I at least have my laptop, Carson?"

"I don't want you to work, Elizabeth. You need some rest."

"And if I promise not to read reports?" she tried.

"What would you do?" John asked, wording Carson's own curiosity.

"I have a few games on it, actually," she admitted.

"I guess it's alright then. Colonel, do you need something from your quarters or your office?"

"Actually, yes. Bring me my copy of War and Peace. It's on my desk in my quarters."

"I'll radio Rodney to go retrieve the laptop and the book for you. Try to rest for a while until then. And that means you too, colonel," he added, turning on his heels to go back to his office.

As soon as Carson left the room, Elizabeth turned on her side, her back to John and stared at the wall in front of her. Thoughts were running in her head; she wanted to shut them out but she couldn't. Everything Phoebus did when she was in her body kept coming back at full force in the front of her mind. She knew perfectly well that these thoughts would keep nagging her until she analysed them.

A few minutes later, Rodney entered their room, carrying Elizabeth's laptop and John's book. He dropped the latter on the colonel's bed and handed the laptop to the diplomat.

"Hey, McKay! Books can be fragile too," John complained.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Elizabeth, I've sent you my report about a piece of technology brought back by Lorne's team just before this whole mess began."

"She can't work," John stated, picking up his book. "Beckett told her so. It's the only reason he let her have her laptop."

"Can't it wait?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, but…"

"No buts, McKay."

"I'll read it as soon as I'm back on duty, Rodney."

"Ok. I need to go back to work before Zelenka decides to begin a new experiment without me."

Elizabeth chuckled a little at Rodney once he was out of the infirmary. She turned on her laptop and John took time to really observe her. He could see lines of worry on her face and he knew it would be a long time before she could stop blaming herself for what happened when Phoebus was in control.

An hour later, John closed his book and set it on the nightstand.

"How does the reading go?" Elizabeth asked, without even looking at him.

"Slowly but surely, I'm at page 200. How does the Solitaire go?" he returned.

"I'm winning. You want to play chess?"

"Sure. Let me come over," John said, crossing the distance between their beds and sitting at the foot while Elizabeth started the game.

Waiting for John to make his first move, Elizabeth contemplated what she realized before Rodney's arrival. She was regretting every single thing Phoebus said and did but one; and she would cherish this one thing in her heart although she knew she and John would have to talk about it really soon.

Fini


End file.
